591 series
The 591 series was an experimental Japanese dual-voltage tilting electric multiple unit. Built in 1970 for JNR, the 591 series was used as a prototype tilting locomotive aimed at speeding up trains on curvy sections of various lines. History The 591 series was designed in 1967 to be a train that could increase speeds on curved sections of various lines; this was during a time when railway companies like Odakyu Electric Railway were experimenting with tilting trains. The train was built in 1970 by Kawasaki Heavy Industries, and entered service from there on the Tōhoku Main Line. The train was also used as a prototype for the first mass-produced Japanese tilting electric multiple unit; the 381 series. With the introduction of the 381 series in 1973, however, the role of the 591 series as a test train ended and it was stored at Okaya Station until 26 March 1980 where it was scrapped on-site. Despite its storage at Okaya Station for some time, JNR tried various ways to get the 591 series back in use, such as fitting it experimentally with gas turbines like the KiHa 391 series; however, none of these plans came to fruition. No cars from the set survive today, but a DT96 bogie from the set escaped scrapping; it is now located at the Modern Transportation Museum in Minato-ku, Osaka. Design The 591 series had two design variations for its cab cars. One end uses a traditional design externally somewhat similar to trains of the time, such as the 485 and 183 series; this cab design would carry over to the later 381 series in some form. The other cab car has a more subdued, non-streamlined design. Specifications Very little information is available about the construction of the 591 series. There was a mounting slot on the cab cars which could mount a plaque, à la Limited Express trains of the time like the 183 and 381 series; the plaque could have various sayings, but the saying of "Tilting Train KuMoHa 591" was most commonly seen. Other plaques said things like "High Speed KuMoHa 591", "High Speed on Curves" or "Test Running by Kawasaki Heavy Industries". The streamlined cab car's mounting slot is prominently placed in the middle of the car, while the non-streamlined cab car's mounting slot is mounted above the right headlight fixture. The set used a simple inertial tilting system with a roller shaft mounted in a heart-shaped track which allowed the set to tilt and maintain speed around curves. The three car set had a ridiculously short intermediate car mounted on shared bogies connected to the cab cars; the intermediate car was later removed when problems were found with the shared bogies, and the set was rebuilt as a two-car set with fixed bogies at JNR's Kōriyama Works. The set remained like this until it was scrapped. The train used a combination of both resistor and chopper-controlled traction motors. References Category:Tilting trainsets Category:Unique Locomotives Category:Electric Trainsets Category:Kawasaki locomotives Category:Prototype Locomotives Category:Scrapped Locomotives Category:Built in 1970